Desoldering is a process for removing solder from a printed circuit board (PCB). Known methods for desoldering require two pieces of equipment, a desoldering gun (or a desoldering iron) and a device to remove the solder affixed to the PCB. The desoldering gun serves as a heat source for the desoldering operation. The desoldering gun includes a metal tip that is used to transfer heat to both the solder and the device used to remove the solder. The tip of the desoldering gun generally has either a tapered shape (i.e., conical or pointed) or a square shape.
Conventional devices to remove solder include vacuum pumps and solder wicks. A vacuum pump, also known as a solder sucker, is a suction device resembling a large syringe. The vacuum pump includes a spring loaded plunger to create suction. The plunger starts in a pushed down position, and a button is used to release the plunger whenever suction is required. As the plunger rises, a vacuum is created at a nozzle of the pump to draw molten solder into the vacuum pump, thereby removing the solder from the PCB. A user holds the desoldering gun in one hand and places its tip against the solder to melt it, and the user holds the vacuum pump in their other hand to collect the melted solder.
A solder wick is a braid of metal, generally copper, used to collect molten solder almost like a sponge. The solder wick has no moving parts and is generally positioned between the desoldering gun and the solder when used. The heat from the desoldering gun is then transferred to the solder through the solder wick. For example, a user holds the desoldering gun in one hand and the solder wick in the other hand. The user places the solder wick against the solder and heats the solder wick using the tip of the desoldering gun. The heat is transferred to the solder through the solder wick, and as the solder melts, it is collected by the solder wick.
The use of these conventional methods for removing solder has its drawbacks. One important drawback is that both the vacuum pump method and the solder wick method are two-handed operations. The user must hold the desoldering gun in one hand while working the vacuum pump or the solder wick with the other hand. This presents problems for some users who have a difficult time holding the vacuum pump or solder wick in intimate contact with the solder as the solder is being heated by the desoldering gun. In this situation, if the user moves the desoldering gun away from the solder too soon, the solder may quickly re-solidify and the tip of the vacuum pump or the solder wick may become affixed to the solder. Another drawback of the vacuum pump is that the solder will harden within the vacuum pump after it has been removed from the PCB. It then becomes a tedious task to remove the hardened solder from the vacuum pump. Accordingly, an improved device for removing solder from a PCB is needed.